Former Taft quarterback Oreste Simi could have major impact for Birmingham

One of the more under-the-radar local football transfers during the offseason could turn out to make a major difference in the West Valley League.

Oreste Simi threw for 1,551 yards and 16 touchdowns on 95-for-210 passing with only six interceptions last season for Taft.

Now, Simi is at league rival Birmingham and gives the Patriots an experienced leader in the huddle on a team that returns its entire offensive line and has a talented rushing attack, led by Sterling Salguero.

“He has shown leadership already,” Birmingham coach Jim Rose said.

Simi said he has had no trouble adjusting to his new school.

“It was smoother than can be,” Simi said. “The first day, I met everyone welcomed me in. I jumped right in at the weight room, and everybody knew me in classes.

“It’s a lot more as a group here. Everyone’s a family. Everyone knows each other. Everyone wants to be with each other and hang out on and off the field. It’s more of a family. I just like it a lot better.”

The Oct. 31 matchup involving Taft and host Birmingham will be a showdown to watch.

“I’m looking forward to the season, especially during schedule,” Simi said. “I can’t wait to play these teams.”

Flowers recovering following injury

Birmingham defensive back Eric Flowers said he is making progress from a broken collarbone suffered in a July 26 summer passing league game.

“Everything is feeling the way it should be,” Flowers said. “I have a check-up at the end of the month, and they will tell me then when I can come back.”

Flowers, being recruited by Washington and Fresno State in particular, said he is definitely out for the Aug. 29 season opener at Newbury Park, but said he is hoping to return for the Sept. 5 matchup against Notre Dame, though coach Jim Rose said the team might play it cautious and bring him back Sept. 12 against Fairfax..

“We are not going to risk his season against these Southern Section schools to rush him back,” Rose said. “We want to make sure he’s healthy. But he’s going to be a beast for us defensively.”

Not backing down

Birmingham is taking on an imposing nonleague schedule that also includes Chaminade and Oaks Christian.

For Rose, that means a chance to take on some of his best contemporaries like Oaks Christian coach Bill Redell, Notre Dame coach Kevin Rooney and his former mentor Chaminade coach Ed Croson.

“Maybe I am one of the privileged to be taking on Redell, Rooney and Croson in the same year,” Rose said. “If we survive our nonleague schedule physically, we have a chance to be very good. As a football coach, you want to see the best to get better. These kind of games let you know where you stand as a young football player.”

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Rose said it is the first time Croson is taking on Birmingham since the coach arrived at Chaminade a few years ago.

That showdown will take place Sept. 19, and Birmingham plans to honor the 2004 City Section championship team that Croson coached. All-City quarterback Andrew Miramontes is among the former players expected to attend.

“That should be fun,” Rose said. “I think we’ve done well enough in the last three years for him to say OK to play us.

“A lot of the calls are still the same calls. When someone calls ‘Toro,’ everyone is going to know what the play is.”